338X1977352 

R5311 

1924 


Industrial  Peoria 


By 

Leroy  E.  Roark 


T" 


OCT  2^   > 


ilLlNOIS  HISTOI^lCAl  SURVEY 


lO 


s/r-^/ 


SECOND  EDITION 


Industrial  Peoria 


•rnr,    I    ' 


V  Of  \au'.c;s 


PEORIA 

J.  W.  FRANKS  AND  SONS 

October  1924 


Copywrited  by 

L.  E.  ROARK 

1924 


11 2H 


Industrial  Peoria 

By  Leroy  E.  Roark 


A  REVIEW 

OF 

Advantages  to  Industry 
Character  of  Products 
Co-operation  of  Workers 
The  Citizens  Part 
Safety  First 
The  Future 


To  the  earnest  and  sincere  minded 
industrial  leaders  of  this  favored 
spot  in  the  Valley  of  the  Illinois^ 
whose  energy  and  enterprise  so 
generously  expended  have  developed 
thus  far  one  of  the  greatest  indus- 
trial centers  in  the  Middle  West, 


PREFACE 


With  full  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  the 
incompleteness  of  this  work,  and  recognizing  its 
shortcomings  in  dealing  with  what  is  believed  to 
be  the  greatest  problem  of  the  generation,  justi- 
fication is  still  found  for  publishing  this  book 
because  of  the  need  for  a  better  understanding 
of  the  great  strides  that  Industrial  Peoria  has 
made,  and  to  acquaint  its  citizens  with  the  fact 
that  the  industrial  phase  of  Peoria's  progress 
has  kept  pace  with  the  world  at  large.  The  in- 
dustrial leaders  of  Peoria  recognize  fully  their 
obligation  and  responsibility,  from  an  economic 
and  humanitarian  standpoint,  to  the  community 
which  they  have  so  ably  aided  in  developing. 
The  future  of  Peoria  is  in  the  hands  of  the  gen- 
eration now  coming  into  their  majority,  and  if 
they  will  seize  the  opportunities  that  are  being 
offered  them  and  carry  on  with  the  sincerity  of 
purpose  and  progressive  vision  of  those  who  have 
gone  before,  Peoria's  position  as  one  of  America's 

great  industrial  centers  is  assured. 

— L.  E.  R. 


Advantages  to  Industry 


There  was  a  time  when  the  prominence 
of  Peoria  was  due  to  its  being  one  of  the 
greatest  grain  centers  of  the  middle  west. 
At  a  later  date  it  was  known  throughout 
the  nation  as  a  distilling  center  and  prom- 
inent in  jobbing  and  distributing  of  food  and 
general  commodities,  but  in  the  past  few 
years  its  greatest  renown  has  come  to  Peoria 
by  reason  of  its  having  developed  into  one  of 
the  most  prominent  industrial  and  commer- 
cial centers  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

Being  the  second  largest  city  in  the  third 
greatest  industrial  state  in  the  union,  there 
has  naturally  come  to  Peoria  a  lot  of  com- 
mercial enterprise  that  was  attracted  by 
reason  of  its  size  and  general  prominence 
and  popularity.    Large  cities  well  located 

[13] 


are  always  regarded  as  strategic  locations 
for  ware  houses,  distributing  offices,  anH 
branch  offices,  but  to  attract  the  attention 
of  manufacturers,  whose  greatest  considera- 
tions are  the  proximity  of  raw  materials, 
transportation,  power,  labor  supply  and 
market,  a  city  must  have  specific  natural 
and  useable  advantages.  In  this  analysis 
Peoria  has  stood  up  in  very  good  shape. 

Situated  in  one  of  the  richest  coal  produc- 
ing regions  of  America  and  in  the  very 
heart  of  one  of  the  greatest  distributing  and 
consuming  territories  of  the  middle  west, 
with  an  ample  supply  of  good  water  and 
transportation  facilities,  the  next  step  for 
a  manufacturer  to  undertake  is  the  analysis 
of  the  labor  market,  the  adaptability  of  the 
class  of  labor  in  a  community  and  its  gen- 
eral productive  ability. 

This  having  been  found  to  be  far  above 

[14] 


the  average  for  an  industrial  center  has 
been  readily  recognized  as  being  possibly 
one  of  the  greatest  assets  the  community 
has  to  offer  manufacturers,  and  the  fact  that 
Peoria  labor  is  productive  and  thrifty  is  not 
an  accident.  It  is  the  logical  outcome  of 
years  of  study  and  consideration  on  the  part 
of  employers  whose  plants  have  been  located 
in  the  community  and  have  been  the  cause 
of  and  a  part  of  the  gradual  industrial  de- 
velopment. In  Peoria  today  approximately 
thirty  of  our  largest  manufacturing  insti- 
tutions are  under  the  direct  supervision  of 
the  man  or  group  of  men  who  founded  them. 
This  is  a  remarkable  record,  and  is  one  of 
the  highest  testimonials  to  the  spirit  of  in- 
dustrial Peoria  that  can  be  related.  It  is 
generally  recognized  by  authorities  on  in- 
dustrial subjects  that  the  industrial  expan- 
sion of  a  community  comes  from  within  and 
it  is  evident,  therefore,  that  Peoria's  future 
depends  upon  its  industrial  progress  and  the 

[15] 


development  and  prosperity  of  the  institu- 
tions already  located  there. 

There  are  many  reasons  why  commun- 
ities do  not  prosper,  but  there  are  only  a 
few  reasons  why  a  community  cannot  prog- 
ress and  one  of  the  reasons  is  the  lack  of 
proper  appreciation  by  the  citizens  of  the 
community  as  to  what  the  mills  and  factories 
and  workshops  mean  to  a  community  from 
the  standpoint  of  regularly  employed  man 
power  and  the  distribution  of  earned  wages. 
Fortunately,  in  Peoria,  there  is  a  growing 
consciousness  of  what  the  industries  mean 
and  a  greater  number  of  citizens  find 
the  time  to  take  an  interest  in  the  policies 
that  control  the  management  of  our  local 
industries.  For  the  past  few  years  there 
has  been  competition  between  industrial 
communities  for  the  securing  of  additional 
industries,  railroad  terminals  and  business 
houses,  and  the  greatest  success  and  prog- 

[16] 


ress  has  been  experienced  in  those  commun- 
ities that  recognize  the  importance  of  indus- 
try and  whose  general  civic  and  industrial 
policy  is  one  of  encouragement  rather  than 
discouragement. 

Prosperous  conditions  may  only  be  ex- 
pected in  communities  where  an  enlightened 
public  understands  the  economic  value  of 
uninterrupted  and  unhampered  industrial 
operations.  As  an  industrial  center,  Peoria 
has  unlimited  possibilities,  but  its  advan- 
tages and  desirability  as  a  place  for  new  in- 
dustries to  locate  will  be  measured  and  de- 
termined by  the  prosperity  of  the  institu- 
tions already  established,  and  progress 
they  have  been  able  to  make. 

For  many  years  the  farming  industry 
was  recognized  as  the  back  bone  of  our 
national  prosperity,  but  during  the  past  few 
years  since  the  farming  industry  has  suf- 

[17] 


fered  such  a  serious  set  back,  it  has  become 
more  and  more  evident  to  the  people  of  the 
middle  west  that  the  industries  have  played 
a  much  greater  part  in  this  prosperity  than 
perhaps  ever  before  was  brought  to  their 
attention. 

To  illustrate  this  condition,  sixty-five 
of  Peoria's  manufacturing  establishments 
paid  their  wage  earners  $233,228  per  week, 
or  a  total  of  $12,127,859.64  for  the  calendar 
year  ending  December  31,  1923.  Peoria  is 
one  of  those  rare  communities  in  which  a 
majority  of  the  money  earned  is  spent  in 
the  business  houses  of  the  same  community. 
This  is  largely  responsible  for  the  present 
existence  of  larger  and  higher  grade  mer- 
chandise houses  in  this  city  than  is  found 
in  the  average  city  of  this  size.  According 
to  the  average  national  family  budget  the 
following  percentages  of  a  wage  earner's 
income  go  for  necessities: 

[18] 


43.31  per  cent  for  food. 
13.2  per  cent  for  clothing. 
20.4  per  cent  for  sundries. 
17.7  per  cent  for  shelter. 
5.6  per  cent  for  fuel  and  light. 

Hence,  the  department  stores,  retail  mer- 
chants, professional  men  and  business 
houses  of  Peoria  receive  76.7  per  cent  of 
the  wages  earned  or  a  total  of  $9,302,068.34 
from  the  workers  in  sixty-five  of  the  manu- 
facturing plants  alone.  When  one  considers 
the  many  other  lines  indirectly  connected 
with  industry  that  men  and  women  are  en- 
gaged in,  it  will  give  some  idea  of  the  total 
amount  of  money  brought  into  the  commun- 
ity through  the  sale  of  the  products  of  the 
local  manufacturing  plants. 

As  to  the  desirability  of  Peoria  as  a  point 
at  which  to  locate  manufacturing  plants  for 
articles  of  general  distribution,  the  follow- 

[19] 


ing  is  an  interesting  example.  Five  inter- 
nationally known  manufacturers  have  chos- 
en Peoria  for  the  point  at  which  to  situate 
their  manufacturing  plant,  after  making  a 
survey  of  the  entire  United  States.  These 
plants  are  the  Bemis  Brothers  Bag  com- 
pany, the  Barrett  company,  the  Commercial 
Solvents  Corporation,  the  United  States  In- 
dustrial Alcohol  company  and  the  Larkin 
company. 

As  another  recognition  of  the  desirabil- 
ity of  Peoria  as  an  industrial  city,  the 
gigantic  power  plant  of  the  Central  Illinois 
Utilities  company  is  now  in  process  of  con- 
struction on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  and 
the  electric  power  developed  in  this  plant 
will  be  furnished  to  many  cities  in  central 
Illinois  for  the  operation  of  utilities  and 
industrial  plants. 

This  is  a  record  that  speaks  for  itself  and 

[20] 


should  be  an  inducement  for  the  citizens  of 
this  community  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  for 
an  opportunity  to  gain  an  understanding  of 
the  industries  that  have  aided  in  the  build- 
ing of  the  community  and  whose  progress 
will  play  an  important  part  in  its  future. 


21] 


Character  of  Products 


Six  thousand  car  loads  of  manufactured 
good  were  produced  in  the  industries  of 
Peoria  during  January,  1924.  Very  few 
Peorians  realize  the  importance  or  the  mag- 
nitude of  our  local  industries. 

From  all  corners  of  the  earth  are  gath- 
ered various  kinds  of  raw  material  that  are 
brought  to  Peoria  to  be  fabricated  and 
manufactured  into  finished,  usable  articles, 
and  after  going  through  the  manufacturing 
process  of  our  local  industries  this  material 
is  sent  out  as  a  finished  product  into  all 
parts  of  the  world. 

From  the  tropics  and  the  Orient  comes 
the  raw  material  used  in  the  compounding 
and  manufacturing  of  pharmaceutical  pro- 

[25] 


ducts  produced  by  a  local  drug  plant.  This 
particular  product  is  one  of  the  greatest 
boons  to  humanity  in  its  uses  for  the  de- 
struction of  insects  and  vermin.  Every 
country  in  the  world  consumes  this  product 
and  its  standing  as  a  commodity  is  evi- 
denced by  the  recent  national  advertising 
carried  on  through  the  Saturday  Evening 
Post. 

Sisal  from  Mexico  and  fibre  from  the 
Philippines  is  shipped  to  Peoria  to  be 
made  into  rope,  and  after  passing 
through  the  hundreds  of  spinning  looms  of 
our  local  cordage  plant,  it  is  prepared  for 
shipment.  It  is  marketed  and  utilized  in 
many  ways,  from  the  binding  of  grain  in 
the  harvest  fields  and  the  equiping  of  sail- 
ing vessels  to  the  hoisting  of  mighty  ma- 
chinery and  building  materials  used  in 
modern  construction. 

[26] 


Perhaps  one  of  the  most  interesting 
classes  of  industries  that  this  community 
has  are  the  local  paper  mills.  Hundreds  of 
tons  of  discarded  rags  are  used  daily  in  the 
roofing  mills  of  Peoria  for  the  manufactur- 
ing and  fabricating  of  building  and  roofing 
paper.  It  is  in  a  large  sense  a  business 
built  upon  a  salvage  basis,  since  it  uses  as 
its  raw  material  an  otherwise  worthless 
commodity.  The  process  through  which  this 
material  passes  furnishes  one  of  the  modern 
miracles  of  science  and  chemistry.  Ton 
after  ton  of  this  roofing  paper  speeds  over 
rapidly  driven  steam  drums,  and  carload 
after  carload  of  the  finished  product  goes 
to  other  points  east  and  south  for  the  fin- 
ishing operations  which  turn  it  into  a  roof- 
ing cover  for  our  modern  buildings. 

In  the  paper  bag  industry,  of  which 
Peoria  has  one  of  the  largest  and  most  mod- 
ern plants,  many  carloads  of  damaged  rope 

[27] 


from  all  ports  of  the  seas  and  all  parts  of 
the  world  are  used.  This  rope,  together 
with  rags  and  other  ingredients,  is  cooked 
into  pliable  and  appearanceable  paper  stock 
and  further  operations  transform  it  into 
sacks  for  flour,  cement,  and  jute  paper  for 
many  other  purposes.  This  jute  paper  is 
the  strongest  fabricated  paper  known,  and 
by  special  process  can  be  made  water- 
proof. It  is  almost  as  indestructible  as  the 
finest  linen  bag  and  is  preferable  to  the 
gunny  sack. 

Other  products  in  world  wide  demand  are 
the  many  products  of  our  local  tinware 
plants,  such  as  cans,  pails,  and  tin  contain- 
ers of  all  descriptions,  sizes  and  uses  are 
produced  in  Peoria  by  special  machinery 
that  almost  baffles  the  human  eye  and  brain 
in  accuracy  and  phenomenal  operation. 

Steel  products,   wire  fencing  and  nails 

[28] 


used  in  almost  every  civilized  country  in  the 
world  are  produced  in  Peoria.  Grain  plant- 
ing, cultivating  and  harvesting  machinery 
that  is  in  use  through  every  step  of  agricul- 
tural production  has  long  been  the  one  out- 
standing product  of  this  community. 

Cooperage  barrels  and  wooden  containers 
that  bring  historic  recollections  have  long 
been  one  of  the  foremost  products  of  Peoria. 
The  cooperage  plants  of  this  community 
have  for  years  been  regarded  as  producers 
of  the  finest  tight  cooperage  that  has  ever 
been  marketed. 

Tractors  of  world-wide  renown  that  have 
revolutionized  transportation  under  un- 
usual conditions  are  products  of  one  of  the 
gigantic  plants  of  the  community. 

Modern  labor  saving  machinery  in  the 
way  of  washing  machines,   automatic  con- 

[29] 


Crete  tamping  machinery,  grain  hoists  and 
oil  burners  are  other  well  known  products 
of  our  local  industries.  The  future  of  these 
the  two  particular  household  appliances  can 
scarcely  be  over  estimated,  as  the  modern 
home  is  incomplete  without  them. 

Malt  products  for  the  manufacturing  of 
foodstuffs  are  some  of  the  com^modities  pro- 
duced by  a  Peoria  industry. 

Industrial  alcohol  and  chemical  solvents 
in  trainloads  leave  our  city  daily  for  use  in 
eastern  consumption  and  export. 

When  one  considers  the  particular  basic 
character  of  the  products  of  our  industries, 
the  future  of  industrial  Peoria  is  in  no  way 
uncertain  or  questionable.  There  are  very 
few  articles  produced  in  this  community 
that  can  be  regarded  as  luxurious  or  unnecs- 
sary,  such    as   fine   furniture,    pianos,  or 

[30  1 


those  things  that  are  usually  regarded  as 
non-essential. 

The  steel,  rope,  machinery,  containers, 
tractors,  pharmaceutical  products,  building 
materials  and  milling  products  are  as  nec- 
esssary  to  world  markets  as  anything  con- 
sumed. The  thousands  of  industrious  and 
painstaking  workmen  who  produce  these 
articles  get  from  their  work  a  certain 
amount  of  contentment  and  happiness  in 
knowing  that  they  are  producing  really 
worthwhile  articles.  They  are  not  only 
cogs  in  the  machinery;  they  are  the  actual 
producers  of  commodities  that  go  to  make 
the  world  better,  safer  and  happier,  and 
the  inspiration  and  contentment  that  they 
get  from  their  work  surely  goes  to  make 
the  article  that  much  better  and  more  use- 
ful for  the  performance  of  its  functions  in 
either  domestic  or  foreign  lands. 

[31] 


Co-operation  of  Workers 


Up  to  a  few  years  ago  one  of  the  most 
costly  and  burdensome  problems  that  prog- 
ressive industry  had  to  face  was  excessive 
labor  turn  over,  which  was  caused  in  many 
instances  by  minor  dissatisfactions  on  the 
part  of  workmen,  misunderstandings  be- 
tween foreman  and  workmen,  unsatisfac- 
tory working  conditions  and  other  needless 
causes  which  added  greatly  to  the  burden 
of  industrial  costs  and  was  a  vehicle  by 
which  labor  drifted  from  plant  to  plant  and 
city  to  city,  getting  nowhere  and  penalizing 
all  concerned. 

In  recent  years  a  systematic  study  of 
the  causes  of  labor  turn  over  and  the  cor- 
rection   of    minor    difficulties,    many    of 

[35] 


which  were  unknown  to  management  until 
brought  to  light  by  close  study,  together 
with  a  real  desire  for  co-operation  on  both 
sides  has  reduced  labor  turnover  among  the 
industries  of  this  community  to  an  absolute 
minimum. 

There  still  remains,  of  course,  the  natural 
labor  turn  over  created  by  men  advancing 
in  their  respective  crafts  or  trades,  the  de- 
served promotion  of  competent  workmen, 
and  the  usual  small  amount  of  shifting 
about  to  secure  the  kind  and  character  of 
work  that  best  suits  the  desire  and  the  abil- 
ity of  the  worker,  but  broadly  and  generally 
speaking,  the  decrease  made  in  unneces- 
sary labor  turn  over  has  been  a  financial 
advantage  to  both  workmen  and  manage- 
ment, and  has  been  a  great  factor  in  the 
maintenance  of  satisfactory  labor  condi- 
tions that  go  to  make  an  ambitious  and 
happy  community  of  workmen.    A  review  of 

[36] 


some  of  the  efforts  that  have  materialized  so 
satisfactorily  is  interesting. 

The  inauguration  of  Insurance  Groups 
among  the  men  and  Relief  Associations  to 
take  care  of  workmen  during  the  period  of 
minor  injury  has  been  one  of  the  things 
that  has  created  a  medium  for  co-operation. 
These  associations  are  controlled  and  oper- 
ated by  workmen  themselves.  The  company 
contributes  a  certain  amount  and  the  work- 
men pay  into  the  treasury  a  small  amount 
of  ten  to  twenty  cents  a  week.  It  has  been 
an  opportunity  for  expression  of  ideas  of 
the  workmen  in  connection  with  organiza- 
tions of  this  kind. 

Base  ball  clubs  and  teams  in  various 
kinds  of  sport  have  created  a  friendly  riv- 
alry among  the  various  industrial  plants 
and  among  the  departments  of  various 
plants.    In  these  instances  the  management 

[37] 


furnishes  the  team  with  uniforms  and  equip- 
ment and  the  men  contribute  their  very  best 
efforts  to  successfully  represent  their  team 
in  competition  with  others.  The  majority 
of  the  industries  give  their  workmen  a  Sat- 
urday half  holiday,  and  it  is  during  this 
holiday  that  competitive  sports  are  staged. 
Bowling  teams  for  the  winter  and  indoor 
baseball  tournaments  are  part  of  the  gen- 
eral program. 

Intermittent  rest  periods  in  particularly 
confining  work  is  another  small  item  that 
contributes  to  a  better  understanding  since 
it  satisfies  the  minds  of  the  workmen  and 
prepares  them  better  for  the  physical  and 
mental  labor  that  they  are  called  upon  to 
endure. 

A  majority  of  our  plants  are  equipped 
with  modern  and  attractive  cafeteria  serv- 
ice where  workmen  can  secure  warm  meals 


[38 


and  food  suited  to  the  particular  kind  of 
work  they  are  doing.  These  cafeterias  are 
in  most  instances  operated  at  a  loss  on  the 
part  of  the  company,  but  they  contribute  so 
much  in  the  way  of  contentment,  and  are 
so  well  patronized  by  the  workmen  that  the 
companies  consider  them  good  investments. 
Most  of  the  cafeterias  are  managed  by  com- 
petent and  experienced  chefs,  and  the  char- 
acter of  food  served  is  regulated  by  the  kind 
of  work  that  is  being  done.  In  the  plants 
where  heavy  and  arduous  work  is  per- 
formed well  balanced  and  nourishing  meals 
are  served.  In  plants  where  female  work 
is  employed,  lighter  luncheons  and  food 
suited  to  their  physical  condition  is  dis- 
pensed. This  is  one  of  the  most  sensible  con- 
tributions to  present  day  industrial  life. 

There  is  one  major  item  that  undoubted- 
ly contributes  more  to  community  benefit 
than  any  other  and  that  is   the  movement 

[  39  ] 


on  the  part  of  employers  to  maintain  Group 
Insurance  covering  their  entire  working 
forces.  The  amount  of  benefit  from  this 
insurance  is  regulated  by  length  of  service. 
New  workers  are  insured  for  $500,  special 
provision  being  made  for  other  members 
of  their  family,  and  graduates  up  to  $2,000 
and  $3,000,  payable  upon  death  or  perman- 
ent disability.  Many  of  the  policies  in  effect 
in  our  local  industries  protect  not  only  the 
workman  but  members  of  his  family  and 
the  accident  phase  of  it  covers  the  entire 
family  for  accident  caused  either  in  the 
course  of  employment  or  otherwise.  A 
small  part  of  the  premium  for  this  insur- 
ance is  paid  by  the  workmen;  the  major 
part  of  it  is  paid  by  the  company,  and  this  is 
a  form  of  benefit  that  goes  deep  into  the 
heart  of  the  employee.  It  has  been  one  of 
the  greatest  factors  in  the  reduction  of  labor 
turn  over  that  has  been  inaugurated  in  re- 
cent years. 

[40] 


Where  interest  of  this  character  is  dis- 
played on  the  part  of  the  management,  the 
workman  feels  that  he  is  a  part  of  the  in- 
stitution and  his  efforts  and  interest  are 
that  much  greater.  A  great  deal  of  distress 
and  misery  is  avoided  through  this  channel 
of  co-operation  and  the  community  gener- 
ally is  benefited  by  a  relationship  of  this 
kind  between  management  and  workmen. 
Management  that  discloses  itself  willing  to 
bear  a  part  of  the  burden  of  safeguarding 
their  employees  against  misfortune  is  a 
constructive  force  in  a  community  and 
Peoria  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  progres- 
sive strides  that  are  being  taken  in  this 
direction.  The  manner  in  which  the  work- 
ing forces  respond  to  these  indications  of 
good  will  and  confidence  is  encouraging, 
and  one  can  safely  say  that  the  industrial 
future  of  Peoria  is  assured  of  pleasant  re- 
lations, so  far  as  these  two  co-workers  in 
industry  are  concerned. 

[41] 


The  Citizens  Part 


Attention  has  been  called  to  the  many 
factors  that  contribute  to  the  welfare  of  a 
successful  industrial  community.  Among 
these  have  been  in  order  of  their  importance, 
progressive  management,  trained  and  loyal 
v^orkmen,  products  of  a  basic  character, 
proper  recognition  of  the  rights  of  workers 
and  management.  We  come  now  to  the  one 
factor  that  perhaps  is  as  widely  neglected 
and  unappreciated  as  any  of  the  items  that 
contribute  to  industrial  advancement,  and 
this  factor  is  the  attitude  of  and  the  part 
that  citizens  play  in  the  affairs  of  industry. 

In  Peoria  and  surrounding  districts  there 
are  many  thousands  of  families  and  house- 
holds, and  hundreds  of  business  houses  that 
depend  upon  the  payrolls  of  the  industries 

[44] 


for  their  existence.  These  two  factors 
jointly  are  always  on  the  lookout  for  the 
benefits  that  they  secure  from  industrial 
operation  to  which  they  have  come  to  be- 
lieve they  are  entitled,  but  when  it  comes  to 
the  extending  of  a  friendly  or  a  helping 
hand  to  a  much  perplexed  industrial  situa- 
tion there  is  an  unwillingness  on  the  part 
of  the  public  to  co-operate,  together  with  an 
apathy  for  the  welfare  of  industry  when  it 
is  perplexed  that  has  been  in  evidence  for 
too  long  a  time  and  it  must  ultimately  be 
eliminated,  if  the  full  measure  of  success  is 
to  be  attained. 

General  Encouragement 

An  attitude  of  general  encouragement  is 
very  much  to  be  desired.  Knowing  that  the 
prosperity  of  the  community  depends  upon 
its  industries,  the  community  that  secures 
its  very  livelihood  therefrom  can  not  expect 

[45] 


always  to  be  on  the  receiving  end,  and  it  is 
the  responsibility  of  that  community,  par- 
tially at  least,  to  see  that  the  conditions  sur- 
rounding industry  are  as  favorable  as  they 
can  possibly  be  made;  still  remaining  con- 
sistent with  the  welfare  of  the  citizens. 

A  general  understanding  of  some  of  in- 
dustry's problems  is  necessary,  not  so  much 
because  the  public  can  help  in  the  solution 
of  those  particular  problems,  but  that  the 
public  will  more  readily  understand  the 
viewpoint  of  industry  and  the  delays  and 
setbacks  which  sometimes  are  experienced 
when  they  think  everything  should  be  go- 
ing along  in  good  shape.  It  is  altogether  too 
often  the  case  that  a  thoughtless  public  will 
too  readily  and  willingly  condemn  a  condi- 
tion created  by  industry,  when  as  a  matter 
of  fact  the  situation  is  one  that  is  not  under 
control  of  the  industry  at  all,  but  is  one 
that  is  more  of  a  community  problem. 

[46] 


It  will  take  a  long  time  for  the  public  to 
be  brought  to  the  point  of  appreciating  that 
some  of  the  objectionable  features  of  in- 
dustrial operation,  such  as  dense  smoke  and 
clattering  noise,  are  the  means  whereby  a 
living  is  earned  for  families  and  in  some 
instances  is  more  to  be  tolerated  and  put  up 
with  than  it  is  to  be  condemned  and  clamor 
made  for  the  isolation  of  plants  responsible 
for  the  condition.  There  are  a  great  many 
details  under  this  heading  that  could  be 
brought  to  light,  but  it  can  be  summed  up 
by  again  saying  that  encouragement  to  in- 
dustry is  the  public  cue,  if  they  would  in- 
crease the  prosperity  that  successful  indus- 
tries bring  to  a  community. 

Investment 

Remarkable  figures  are  being  brought  to 
light  showing  the  amount  of  capital  that 
small  investors  are  putting  into  public  util- 

[47] 


ities,  manufacturing  plants  and  industries 
that  create  and  produce  the  necessities  of 
life.  This  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  sens- 
ible and  constructive  factors  that  can  be 
shown.  The  packing  houses  of  Chicago  and 
the  middle  west  have  thousands  and  thous- 
ands of  stockholders  among  the  citizens  of 
the  community  and  many  hundreds  of  stock 
holders  are  employes.  This  faith  and  con- 
fidence and  the  spirit  that  prompts  the  em- 
ploye to  invest  his  extra  earnings  or  his 
capital  back  into  the  products  that  he  puts 
his  skill  and  workmanship  into  is  of  a  high 
order. 

There  are  several  large  railroads  in  the 
east,  one  of  which  is  the  Pennsylvania  sys- 
tem, which  among  its  employes  has  several 
thousand  stock  holders  who  profit  doubly 
by  their  very  toil.  The  telephone  companies 
and  utilities  of  the  middle  west  have  taken 
the  matter  in  hand  and  many  millions  of 

[48] 


dollars  of  the  workers'  money  now  aids  in 
the  financing  of  these  properties. 

In  January  of  1924  the  General  Electric 
company  organized  an  Employes  Security 
corporation  and  today  23,281  employes  own 
$8,213,280  worth  of  bonds  in  the  company 
and  the  interest  paid  back  to  these  employes 
on  June  1,  totaled  $300,000. 

Selection  of  Public  Officials 

In  the  administration  of  industrial  af- 
fairs, the  co-operation,  the  assistance,  and 
the  sympathetic  consideration  of  public  of- 
ficials is  often  needed  and  here  is  another 
place  where  the  public  mind  can  extend  to 
industry  the  hand  of  help.  In  the  expan- 
sion of  an  industrial  institution  sometimes 
the  geographical  or  service  location  is  found 
to  be  detrimental  and  industry  turns  to  the 
heads  of  various  departments  of  city  man- 

[49] 


agement.  Generally  speaking,  there  is  con- 
flict to  begin  with.  The  public  official  does 
not  see  that  in  the  expansion  of  the  local 
industry,  greater  earning  power  is  created 
but  in  his  mind's  eye  he  sees  only  an  example 
of  greed  and  avarice,  and  it  is  from  this 
condition  that  pork  barrel  politics  have 
sprung.  It  is  idle  to  assume  that  the  atti- 
tude of  either  is  purposely  detrimental  to 
the  best  interests  of  the  community,  but 
there  is  a  lack  of  contact  that  penalizes  the 
community  and  creates  dissension. 

In  the  selection  of  public  officials,  there- 
fore, it  is  to  the  community's  interest  that 
men  of  business  training  be  selected;  men 
who  have  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  rights 
of  a  citizen  and  an  institution,  and  above 
all,  men  who  will  recognize  the  value  of 
legitimate  business  expansion  without  pen- 
alty. If  a  proper  relationship  is  established 
and  maintained    between    general  public 

[50] 


sentiment  and  the  conduct  of  the  business 
institutions  in  a  community,  there  is  no 
question  that  it  will  contribute  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  community,  and  the  public 
must  recognize  the  fact  that  a  community 
can  prosper  only  in  proportion  to  the  busi- 
ness prosperity  that  prevails  in  the  sur- 
rounding territory. 


[51 


Safety  First 


In  connection  with  the  progress  made  by 
the  industries  of  our  community,  a  survey 
brings  to  light  a  number  of  interesting 
features  that  point  to  a  high  standard  of 
co-operation  and  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
working  forces  and  management. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  blessing  that  has 
come  to  industry  in  the  past  few  years,  and 
one  that  has  developed  into  a  national  in- 
stitution representing  the  welfare  of  all 
people,  is  what  is  generally  known  as 
"Safety  First''.  Safety  first  originated  as 
a  movement  to  protect  the  life  and  limbs  of 
workers  in  hazardous  occupations,  and  has 
traveled  through  the  cycle  of  evolution  and 
development  until  it  is  today  recognized  as 
a  mighty  factor  in  industry.    To  the  casual 

[55] 


observer  Safety  First  consists  largely  in  the 
posting  of  notices,  pictures  and  charts;  all 
containing  the  same  sentiment,  ''Be  Care- 
ful,'' but  investigation  into  the  real  func- 
tioning of  Safety  First  is  a  story  of  interest. 
Modern  industry  first  runs  across  Safety 
First  when  it  locates  its  property.  The 
types  of  buildings  that  are  used,  the  meth- 
ods of  ventilation,  the  colors  and  kinds  of 
paint,  the  placing  of  machinery  and  the 
kinds  of  floor  that  are  used  are  all  chosen 
with  Safety  First  as  a  factor  as  to  their 
suitability.  There  are  many  industries 
whose  character  of  work  is  necessarily  haz- 
ardous, and  it  is  a  revelation  to  see  the  tre- 
mendous amount  of  thought  and  care  that 
has  been  given  the  safeguarding  of  life  and 
limbs.  The  machinery  equipped  with  mod- 
ern safety  devices  is  almost  ''fool  proof" 
and  operations  that  up  to  a  few  years  ago 
were  regarded  as  hazardous  are  now  oc- 
complished  with  but  little  fear  of  accident. 

[56] 


Whirring  gears  and  lashing  belts  are  no 
longer  a  menace  to  the  life  and  limbs  of 
workmen.  They  are  enclosed  in  mesh 
guards  that  make  it  impossible  to  touch 
them  accidentally  or  otherwise.  They  can 
be  removed  only  by  considerable  work  and 
operators  are  kept  away  from  the  machin- 
ery while  necessary  repairs  are  being  made 
on  it  hj  experienced  forces.  Automatic 
stop  switches  and  special  electrical  devices 
stop  and  start  the  powerful  machinery,  and 
this  is  accomplished  it  seems  sometimes 
almost  magically.  These  machines  are 
equipped  with  either  pedal  or  arm  rests  and 
the  slightest  pressure  upon  either  brings 
the  giant  presses  to  a  positive  stop,  in  the 
event  of  either  clothing  or  limb  being 
thrown  against  the  machinery. 

About  80  per  cent  of  the  improvements, 
safeguards  and  devices  that  are  used  in  de- 
veloping Safety  First  conditions  have  been 

[57] 


made  at  the  suggestion  of  the  workmen,  as 
he  is  the  man  whose  welfare  is  at  stake  and 
whose  judgment  is  depenable  on  this  subject. 

In  the  average  plant  the  Safety  First 
work  is  under  the  supervision  of  an  experi- 
enced safety  engineer  or  a  responsible  exe- 
cutive. Periodical  inspections  are  made  by 
duly  authorized  authorities,  and  it  is  quite 
usual  for  an  inspection  to  be  made  without 
finding  a  single  feature  that  is  hazardous 
or  a  menace  to  the  lives  of  the  workers. 

Peoria  has  played  a  prominent  part  in 
safety  work  development.  Safety  First  as 
a  national  movement  was  brought  to  life 
through  the  efforts  of  the  National  Safety 
Council,  and  two  of  the  original  group  of 
men  who  inaugurated  the  National  Safety 
Council  reside  in  Peoria.  One  is  a  leading 
physician,  who  is  a  national  authority  on 
industrial  surgery,  and  the  other  a  prom- 

[58] 


inent  manufacturer,  whose  plant,  employ- 
ing hundreds  of  workmen,  has  long  been 
recognized  as  one  of  the  finest  equipped  in- 
stitutions from  a  safety  standpoint  in  the 
United  States.  First  aid  equipment  is 
found  in  every  department  of  the  plants  in 
our  community.  Many  industries  are  found 
with  shop  hospitals,  some  have  nurses  in  at- 
tendance constantly  and  all  have  trained 
first  aid  workers  available  at  all  times. 

The  co-operation  between  the  workmen 
and  the  management  that  has  brought  this 
about  has  been  one  of  the  examples  of  what 
constructive  co-operation  can  really  ac- 
complish. The  men  lend  greater  efforts  to 
their  work  when  their  minds  are  free  from 
the  danger  of  accident.  Accidents  are  few- 
er and  homes  are  happier. 


[59] 


The  Future 


Every  generation  or  cycle  of  years  is 
given,  it  appears,  to  the  accomplishment 
of  some  great  feat  or  to  the  solution  of 
some  momentous  problem,  either  moral, 
phychological,  politic  or  economic,  and  it 
is  evident  that  the  passing  years  have 
taken  great  strides  toward  the  solution  of 
the  economic  problem  as  it  applies  to  in- 
dustry, and  with  this  feature  well  on  its 
way  to  solution  there  lies  before  industry 
a  period  of  constructive  expansion  and 
progress. 

The  subject  of  industrial  progress  is  one 
that  can  almost  be  considered  technical 
and  to  those  capable  of  analyzing  this  sub- 
ject it  is  evident  that  Peoria's  future  is  as 

[63  1 


much  a  matter  of  expansion  as  of  acquisi- 
tion. There  are  located  in  this  community 
many  small  institutions,  manufacturing 
specialties,  that  have  before  them  an  un- 
limited future,  and  by  careful  nourishing 
on  the  part  of  the  public  these  institutions 
will  grow  on  the  merit  of  their  products. 
It  will  be  history  repeating  itself  because 
Peoria  today  is  comprised  largely  of  insti- 
tutions that  originated  here,  expanded 
slowly,  and  today  take  their  place  as  lead- 
ers in  the  production  of  their  particular 
commodity. 

Examination  discloses  the  slowly  spread- 
ing web  of  spur  tracks  and  switch  tracks 
finding  new  areas  to  serve  and  pushing 
their  way  into  what  has  been  heretofore 
unoccupied  territory.  Our  terminals  de- 
serve the  highest  commendation  for  their 
watchfulness  and  progressive  policies. 
There  is  no  signal  of  progress  quite  so  sub- 

[64] 


stantial  as  that  indicated  by  the  expansion 
of  terminal  facilities.  Our  industrial  area 
is  being  enlarged,  and  by  these  signs  you 
will  know  that  Peoria  is  not  standing  still. 

The  rejuvenation  of  distilling  properties 
for  the  production  of  solvents  and  commer- 
cial spirits  has  opened  up  a  new  field  for 
Peoria.  Properties  that  were  considered 
scrap  and  useless  are  serving  as  ideal  man- 
ufacturing units  for  the  new  processes  now 
employing  greater  numbers  of  men  than 
were  ever  employed  in  these  institutions 
before.  Particularly  favorable  to  this  class 
of  industry  which  uses  corn  and  its  by- 
products, is  the  Peoria  location,  and  here- 
in lies  the  opportunity  for  encouragement 
and  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  public. 
Again  the  responsibility  of  the  citizen  to 
magnify  his  interest  and  make  welcome 
these  new  types  of  industry  that  seek  per- 
manent locations. 

[65] 


The  co-operation  of  all,  unlimited  en- 
couragement, absolute  unity  of  purpose, 
and  faith  to  overcome  obstacles  must  be 
the  watchwords,  together  with  an  everlast- 
ing pledge  to  protect  the  name  of  Peoria  as 
a  worthy  harbor  of  progressive  industry. 


THE  END 


j^^f  Mr-^f?Y  c?  THE 

OCT  29  1931 

U^IVEHSITY  OF  ILLir^ClS 
(66) 


7200-SI5 

Pll-31 

C 

BT 


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^aT.  no.  3,l«t,.i2} 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

338.0977352R531I1924  C001 

INDUSTRIAL  PEORIA  2ND  ED.   PEORIA 


3  0112  025293090 


